


Slugs and Snails

by dandelion_clock



Series: Cry for the Moon [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-23
Updated: 2018-04-23
Packaged: 2019-04-26 22:00:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14411442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dandelion_clock/pseuds/dandelion_clock
Summary: James and Sirius talk about Feelings.





	Slugs and Snails

'I'm going to ask Lily to the spring ball.'  
'She's already going with Gideon Prewett,' Sirius says, without looking up from his Potions homework.  
'The treacherous git!'  
Sirius shrugs. 'Gideon's alright.'  
James throws himself backwards onto his bed and regards the ceiling glumly.  
After a moment Sirius says, 'You do know she would've said no anyway?'  
'She'll say yes someday,' James says stubbornly.  
Sirius hums noncommittally and then, after another pause, says, 'Look, I know how you feel about Lily. But it wouldn't hurt, would it, to ask someone else? You've never given any other girl a chance.'  
'You,' James says scornfully, 'have never been in love.'  
The silence that follows persists until James gets curious and sits up. Sirius has gone back to his homework, is scribbling away with an expression of fierce concentration, but, to James's astonishment, his cheeks are stained by a bright pink flush.  
'No way!' he says, astounded. _'Who?'_  
Sirius stops writing and looks up with visible reluctance. 'Um,' he says. 'I rather thought you knew.'  
James is just about to ask what on earth he's talking about, and then - 

_Oh._

He does, of course. 

It's obvious. 

He just hadn't thought about it like _that._

He says, softly, 'Does he know?'  
Sirius shakes his head. 'I don't think so.'  
'You planning on telling him?'  
'No.' 

James nods. 

Remus is a funny sort. All those muggle novels, and in James' opinion he thinks more than is good for his health. It's hard to know what he'll make of anything but he's brave and he's stubbornly loyal to his friends. Even if he doesn't love Sirius back (and it's entirely possible, now that James isconsidering the matter, that he _does_ ) James doesn't think he'd freak out. 

But if Sirius isn't ready to to take that step then James isn't going to call him on it. It's a _big_ step, after all. It took James six months to work up the courage to ask Lily out, and even then he only managed by making a sort of joke out of it. He's asked her again a dozen times since then but it still always comes out wrong. Like he's taking the piss, or doesn't much care what her answer is. 

Which makes him wonder how long Sirius - 

'Did you _always?'_  
'I guess?' Sirius looks as if he'd rather stab himself in the eye with the quill he's holding than have this conversation. 'I mean…in first year I didn't really have a name for it. And it wasn't…' The pink in his cheeks is turning crimson. 'It wasn't, so much. Um. The physical stuff.'  
'Huh,' James says. 

This conversation has been enlightening but he feels that for now he knows quite enough. They're bordering on territory that's a little scary - and, honestly, a lot embarrassing. 

'What time is it?'  
'Almost five o'clock.'  
'You done with that homework?'  
'Pretty much.'  
'Fancy half an hour of Quidditch practise?'  
Sirius looks immensely relieved. 'Yeah,' he says. 'Just give me five minutes.' 


End file.
